Tube processing apparatus



Dec. 14, 1965 B. J. AURIN 3,222,906

TUBE PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed April 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 4. INVENTOR.

BERNARD .1. AURI'N III his ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 14, 1965 B. J. AURIN m 3,222,906

TUBE PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed April 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BERNARD J. AURIN 111 L M W his ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,222,906 TUBE PROCESSHNG APPARATUS Bernard J. Aurin H1, 409 N. Neville St, Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Apr. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 187,408 4 Claims. (Cl. 72162) The present invention relates to a device for processing tubes and bars to provide both linear and peripheral concentricity throughout the length thereof.

The disclosed embodiment of the invention includes a pair of spaced driven rolls and an intermediate adjustable roll which is driven by the tube moving through the machine. The rolls are of the class defined as ring-rolls in that they have a suitably shaped opening therethrough which receives and acts upon the tube for the intended purpose.

One object of the invention is to provide a tube straightening device which will effect the desired straightening without abrading or otherwise sharply distorting the peripheral surface of the tube whereby plating or other treatment of the peripheral surface is affected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus which may be adjusted while operating and Which automatically feeds the work through the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which works the metal by longitudinally applied torsional forces rather than abrupt deflection thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described wherein the end rolls thereof may both be selectively driven at a constant uniform r.p.m. or at different peripheral speeds.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described wherein a plurality thereof may be arranged end-to-end in processing a common tube.

These and other objects of the invention will be made apparent from the following description and the drawing forming a part thereof wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the exterior of the apparatus, with a tube therein;

FIG. 2 shows a horizontal cross-section through the apparatus, illustrating the fixed an ularity of the outer rolls;

FIG. 3 shows a vertical transverse section through the apparatus at the intermediate roll, showing the adjustments thereof; and

FIG. 4 shows a vertical longitudinal cross-section of the device at the longitudinal center line thereof illustrating the longitudinal straight line movement of the tube through the device and the vertical displacement of the contact between rolls and tube at the medial or minimum diameter of the elongated hyperbolic faces of the rolls.

Referring now to the drawing, a pair of housing plates 1 and 2 have substantially parallel spaced opposing faces between which is disposed housing 3 of the middle roll. Housings 1 and 2 are connected in fixed spaced relation at one side by shoulder bolts 5 and nuts 6 (not shown). Similarly these plates at their opposite sides are connected by shoulder bolts 7 and 8. Intermediate housing plates 1 and 2, shoulder bolt 8 has a threaded opening 9 extending therethrough. Bolt 7, intermediate its ends is provided with a collar 10 and upwardly extending member 11 for reception of a helical compression spring to be hereinafter discussed. Housing 3 adjacent one end thereof and between bolts 5 is mounted upon a cam pin 12, the outer ends of which are mounted on a common center line A and the mid-portion of which, within housing 3, has a center B oflset A3" relative to A. The opposite "ice side of housing 3 has an extension 13 thereon overlying member 11 and underlying threaded member 14 extending through threaded opening 9 of bolt 8. The housing 3 is free to move between housing plates 1 and 2 upon cam pin 12 for a purpose hereinafter discussed. Pin 12 is rotatable by means of a lever arm 15, as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, comprising a horizontal crosssection through the center of the machine, the tube T moves in a straight line through the machine. The driven end roll 16 is mounted in housing plate 2 by roller bearing 17 and provided with a sprocket 18 secured thereto by suitable fasteners 19. Similarly the driven roll 20 is mounted in housing plate 1 by roller bearing 21 and provided with a sprocket 22 secured thereto by fasteners 19. Each roll 16 and 20 is retained within its respective housing by a suitable end member 23, with suitable grease seals at opposite sides of the bearings 17 and 21. The longitudinal center line or axis of rotation of roll 16 is inclined upwardly and outwardly from the longitudinal center line of the machine and the opposite roll 20 has its longitudinal center line or axis of rotation disposed outwardly and downwardly from the longitudinal center line of the machine. Preferably the angularity of these axes of rotation are such as to be parallel. Movable housing 3 has a roller bearing 24 therein mounting roll 25 whose longitudinal center line is upwardly and outwardly inclined towards the exit roll 20. Bearing 24 is retained in housing 3 by a suitable end plate 26 and fasteners 27.

Each of the outer ring rolls 16 and 20 have their minimum inside diameters disposed off center of the length of the roll and towards the intermediate roll 25. The tube contacting faces of rolls 16 and 20 may be said to have a double hyperbolic surface from the point of minimum diameter to the opposite adjacent end faces. The intermediate roll 25 is also provided with a double hyperbolic surface extending from opposite sides of the minimum diameter of the roll opening. These minimum roll inside diameters are larger than the OD. of the tube received therein. As shown in FIG. 4, the rolls 16 and 20 at their minimum inside diameters are offset relative to the longitudinal center line of the tube passing therethrough and the same point on intermediate roll 25 is below the said tube longitudinal center line. As a result the line of contact between the inner diameter of the rolls and the tube is in effect a spiraling contact as indicated at S, S and S" at FIG. 2. Roll 25 effects a spiral contact with the tube T for substantially the full length of the roll face, whereas roll 16 contacts the tube for only a portion of its length and after the tube is entered partly through the roll. In roll 20 the tube contacts the roll upon entering and leaves contact therewith before passing fully through the roll.

From the foregoing and assuming that sprockets 18 and 22 are driven in the same direction at a constant r.p.m., once the tube T is passed through rolls 16 and 25 into roll 20 a positive spiralling feeding action is imparted by the rolls upon the tube to forceably pull the tube T through the machine. Further, upon reference to FIG. 4, roll 25 imparts a downward deflecting force upon the tube passing therethrough. As a result of the torsional force applied by the rolls and the deflection force imparted to the tube portions entering the roll 25, the metal of the tube is Worked or deflected beyond its elastic limit upon entering and leaving roll 25. In other words, the tube in passing through the series of three rolls is flexed from round to oval to round. In such manner the machine has readily processed large runs of tubing with straightness within 0.101" in 10 feet and rounded to plus or minus 0.001" in one pass.

When the sprockets 18, 22 drive their respective rolls 16 and 20 at a uniform constant speed, there is substantially no relative movement between the tube and rolls. In other words, the tube and rolls rotate in unison and also drive intermediate roll 25 at the same uniform speed. However, should sprockets 18 and 22 be driven at different uniform r.p.m.s, there will be relative rotary movement between all the rolls and the tube therein. Thus the apparatus may be operated to merely flex the tube from round to oval to round in passing therethrough in such a gentle manner as to straighten plated tubing without damage to the surface thereof, or it may be operated to burnish tubing passing therethrough.

The machine is capable of considerable adjustment without stopping the machine. In addition to operating the end rolls at uniform or different speeds, the center roll 25 is capable of both lateral and substantially vertical adjustment. Suitable manipulation of screw 14 permits raising or lowering lip 13 of center roll housing 3 against pressure of spring 4 disposed upon the member 11. Likewise suitable manipulation of cam bolt 12 through lever 15 permits lateral displacement of housing 3, up to the limit of the offset in the cam portion of bolt 12.

The embodiment of the invention herein shown and described is proportioned for processing a tube 1 /2" in outside diameter. Where desired a plurality of the apparatus shown may be placed end-to-end so as to process a single length of tube extending through the plurality of apparatus. Likewise, the device may be constructed to accept larger size tubes.

As previously described the middle roll of the device may be adjusted while in operation. The adjustment afforded by screw 14 and spring 4 is in a direction substantially at right angles to the adjustment afforded by cam bolt 12. Although only center roll 25 is adjustably mounted, this roll serves to control the deflection of the workpiece beyond its elastic limit for reshaping either as to longitudinal straightness and rounding thereof or both.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for linearly straightening and rounding solid and hollow tubular members, comprising a pair of fixed, spaced connected roll housing members, a third roll housing member disposed between and having one end thereof pivotally connected between said spaced fixed housing members and having the opposite end of the housing resiliently supported between said fixed housing members for selective vertical pivotal movement beneath a screw threaded member opposed to said resilient support, a ring-roll rotatably mounted in each fixed housing members adjacent each end thereof and provided with an elongated hyperbolic shaped internal opening therethrough having a minimum internal diameter larger than a tubular member to be engaged thereby and axially aligned for passage of a tube therethrough, each said ring-rolls having substantially parallel axes of rotation similarly inclined relative to the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis of said tube, means associated with each said spaced ring-rolls for imparting rotary movement thereto relative to said housing in a common direction of rotation, and a third ring-roll rotatably mounted in said adjustable housing and provided with an elongated hyperbolic shaped internal opening therethrough whose minimum internal diameter is larger than that of a tubular member to be received therein during passage through said first-named rolls, said third ring-roll having its axis of rotation oppositely inclined to that of the axis of the adjacent ring-rolls and relative to said horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis of the tubular member being processed therein, said ring-rolls at the medial diameter of the opening therethrough having their axis of rotation alternately vertically offset relative to the longitudinal center line of the tube being processed.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the pivotal support for said adjustable housing member comprises a rotatable cylindrical member having its midportion within the housing offset relative to the end portions thereof for imparting limited movement of the adjustable housing member transversely relative to the fixed housing members.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, each hyperbolic face of the ring rolls has spiralling opposite areas of engagement with the tube therein imparting an advancing torsional force to the tube moving it through the apparatus without substantial relative radial movement between the rolls and the tube.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the torsional forces of the intermediate roll impart a change in external shape of the tube from round to oval be tween the two spaced end rolls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,229,981 6/1917 Lehmann 153-105 1,979,134 10/1934 Abramsen 153109 FOREIGN PATENTS 679,723 1/ 1930 France. 1,193,545 4/1959 France.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR LINEARLY STRAIGHTENING AND ROUNDING SOLID AND HOLLOW TUBULAR MEMBERS, COMPRISING A PAIR OF FIXED, SPACED CONNECTED ROLL HOUSING MEMBERS, A THIRD ROLL HOUSING MEMBER DISPOSED BETWEEN AND HAVING ONE END THEREOF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SPACED FIXED HOUSING MEMBERS AND HAVING THE OPPOSITE END OF THE HOUSING RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED BETWEEN SAID FIXED HOUSING MEMBERS FOR SELECTIVE VERTICAL PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BENEATH A SCREW THREADED MEMBER OPPOSED TO SAID RESILIENT SUPPORT, A RING-ROLL ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN EACH FIXED HOUSING MEMBERS ADJACENT EACH END THEREOF AND PROVIDED WITH AN ELONGATED HYPERBOLIC SHAPED INTERNAL OPENING THERETHROUGH HAVING A MINIMUM INTERNAL DIAMETER LARGER THAN A TUBULAR MEMBER TO BE ENGAGED THEREBY AND AXIALLY ALIGNED FOR PASSAGE OFO A TUBE THERETHROUGH, EACH SAID RING-ROLLS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AXES OF ROTATION SIMILARLY INCLINED RELATIVE TO THE HORIZONTAL PLANE OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TUBE, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SAID SPACED RING-ROLLS FOR IMPARTING ROTARY MOVEMENT THERETO RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING IN A COMMON DIRECTION OF ROTATION, AND A THIRD RING-ROLL ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID ADJUSTABLE HOUSING AND PROVIDED WITH AN ELONGATED HYPERBOLIC SHAPED INTERNAL OPENING THERETHROUGH WHOSE MINIMUM INTERNAL DIAMETER IS LARGER THAN THAT OF A TUBULAR MEMBER TO BE RECEIVED THEREIN DURING PASSAGE THROUGH SAID FIRST-NAMED ROLLS, SAID THIRD RING-ROLL HAVING ITS AXIS OF ROTATION OPPOSITELY INCLINED TO THAT OF THE AXIS OF THE ADJACENT RING-ROLLS AND RELATIVE TO SAID HORIZONTAL PLANE OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER BEING PROCESSED THEREIN, SAID RING-ROLLS AT THE MEDIAL DIAMETER OF THE OPENING THERETHROUGH HAVING THEIR AXIS OF ROTATION ALTERNATELY VERTICALLY OFFSET RELATIVE TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF THE TUBE BEING PROCESSED. 